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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23564824">The Abduction of Persephone</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/praxidikai/pseuds/praxidikai'>praxidikai</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Myth of Persades [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Ancient Greek Religion &amp; Lore</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 19:06:50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,953</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23564824</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/praxidikai/pseuds/praxidikai</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Another version of the myth of Persephone.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hades/Persephone (Ancient Greek Religion &amp; Lore)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Myth of Persades [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1744321</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>62</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. 1.1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The thundering of Earth splitting open made her turn, but the neighing beasts that were his coal-black horses didn’t make her glance away from his eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Was she invited to join him? Was she kidnapped? Did she run to him? Did he grab her?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It lasted forever, it stood still in time, it was embroidered in history.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She disappeared under the ground, so did he.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. 1.2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Her hair was dark brown, her eyes green as the moss. Her lips between peach and coral.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He learned her features fast; fought back the urge to touch her cheek, kiss her lips.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She was silent all the way down, merely nodding when anyone (other than him) spoke to her. There wasn’t much he could get himself to say, anyway.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A nymph announced that her bedroom was ready, that she should follow. That was when he finally spoke </span>
  <em>
    <span>to </span>
  </em>
  <span>her, not </span>
  <em>
    <span>about</span>
  </em>
  <span> her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lady Persephone,” a king should sound firmer, he knew, but, when she glanced over her shoulder and he realized he had lifted his arm as if to grab her hand, nothing really mattered. He schooled himself, “There will be dinner tonight, I’d appreciate your company. I’d understand if you had no wish to join me, but I promise you won’t have to eat anything or even say anything. You do may request for the food to be brought to your chambers, but I would be delighted to have you as company tonight.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The arrows of Eros held the power of his mother, a power older than the gods themselves. A force that was able to render powerful creatures quiet, expectant. Make a grown god feel like an infant under the gaze of his beloved.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mossy eyes went from his grey ones to his features, taking her time. Nose, ears, lips. His eyes again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A nod.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She disappeared along with the nymph that guided her, allowing him to breathe again.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. 1.3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>She wore dark blue, and a flower crown in her hair. The one she had in her hand when he took her from her mother’s land.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He didn’t smile when she joined him at the table, yet tearing his eyes from her wasn’t a simple task.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He ate, she didn’t. He drank, she didn’t.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you,” he muttered after laying his glass of wine down. It was one of the rare occasions when he wasn’t looking at her, “For joining me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A nod.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. 1.4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“My lady,” the nymph made her glance towards the door, “there’s something I think you’d like to see.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She walked the corridors as calm as if she knew the whole palace, as if she hadn’t been stolen to be there in the first place.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dead caring for the soil was the first thing she saw, one of them - an old man - smiled at her, waved at her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With a raised eyebrow, she and the nymph joined the man.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You must be the one they whisper about,” he observed, “prettier than I heard, even when I was alive. My lady, I took care of flowers when I lived, it’ll be an honor to tend to those for you.” he chuckled, “A gorgeous gift to the Queen of Flowers. I’m sure you’ll love the night bloomers.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He went back to his work, dirtied his hand with the soil.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Brown stained her dress. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her fingers made loops, tied stalks together. The night bloomers made up her white crown.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was frozen at the entrance of the garden he had ordered to be built. He had thought of emerald, silver, ruby, and gold, then settled for the colors she wore, the world she had known.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My lord?” a frowning shade had asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A garden,” he said, “build her a garden.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She stood from the now grassy ground, cleaned her dress, walked to him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Persephone held his glance as she crowned him with dark blue flowers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She smiled at him before she left.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. 1.5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Hades stood behind Aeacus, Minos, and Rhadamanthys. The god eyed the line of the dead awaiting trial. Triptolemus was on his way back after an analysis of the size of the line.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve never seen so many of them before,” the fourth judge told his companions.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Humans can be fragile creatures, but these seem to have been dying like flies,”  Rhadamanthys observed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It can’t be a war. I’ve seen men, women, </span>
  <em>
    <span>and</span>
  </em>
  <span> children pass. Especially children.” Aeacus added.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We would know if it was Ares acting up,” the god declared, “As for Athena, this amount is unlike her.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hunger,” a voice caught the attention of the five of them, made them turn around.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The four judges bowed at the sight of the goddess of Spring.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hunger, my lady?” Rhadamanthys prompted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve seen faces like these. If my mother was insulted, the crops would wither and die; the dead from the cursed land would look like those.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, the Asphodel Meadows will likely be quite crowded, would be my guess,” said Aeacus, eyeing the dead again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The question is: for how long?” Triptolemus commented.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She found the grey eyes of the king, he didn’t miss the emerald necklace she wore. It was one of the many gifts he had offered her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“May we speak in private, my king?” she asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He blinked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He closed the door, turned to find her eyeing his bedroom.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why have you brought me here?” she had yet to look at him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I always believed my intentions to be quite clear, my lady,” Hades said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She spun, took a step towards him, “I’ve been taken from my mother’s field, showered with gifts, a garden was built for me, I’m aware of what you want from me. I’m no fool, I know what my mother has been trying to keep me from, why she would keep men away from me. I’m asking if you want a concubine or--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Any nymph can be a concubine,” he said, “If it was a lover I was looking for, I wouldn’t go through the trouble of earning the wrath of Demeter. I want you as my wife.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve seen what has become of the wives and queens before, I don’t want that. I have been treated well, every servant treats me as a goddess, as a queen, not as a child. I’ve been allowed to make my own choices. All but one: I may not leave.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Have you wished to leave?” he prompted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A smirk appeared in her lips, “No, I have not.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He allowed himself a smile in return.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If I am to stay and be your wife, I want all of you. I won’t share you, Hades. You will not make a Hera out of me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I swear on the Styx to be as faithful to you as you are to me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Very well, if you swear it, I’ll swear it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Will you marry me then? Marry me, Persephone?” his hand trembled lightly before it touched her cheek.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes. Yes, I’ll marry you, Hades.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. 2.1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“KORE!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Whichever creatures still lived among the dead trees, under the heavy snow, ran from the scream.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Demeter sank to her knees, her blurry vision caught only the orange and the yellow colors approaching, a dark figure coming with them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Torches.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Black hair flew around the features of the pregnant woman, her white irises made her seem blind, but those who knew her knew she saw too much.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She stopped before the goddess of the harvest, offered her hand. “Stand, I’ll help you search for your daughter.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Demeter rose her eyes, held the surprisingly warm hand of Hecate.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. 2.2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Hades held a silver crown, there was a smile on his lips, “Persephone, goddess of Spring, daughter of Demeter and Zeus. I, Hades, King of the Underworld, now pronounce you, Persephone, Queen of the Underworld.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her grin matched his, as did her crown.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He went down on one knee, “My queen”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Persephone offered her hand, “Don’t bow to me,” he rose, “I’m your queen, but you’re my king, we are meant to be equals. That’s how you’ve treated me, that’s how I shall treat you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“As you wish.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’d crown you,” she smirked, “but I believe I’ve already done that.” her soft hand touched his cheek, “Would allow me, husband?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He held her gaze, nodded, “Anything.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The goddess leaned in. Hades felt the brush of their lips before they pressed together, prompted her to open for him. She followed his lead.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She felt it, electricity awakening her body, making her aware of her entire form. Aware of how he pulled her close tight, held her against him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Persephone broke the kiss, met his eyes with raised eyebrows, “Does this always happen?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The king smirked, “Not with everyone.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She kissed him again.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. 2.3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The snow melted beneath his feet, revealing dark barren soil underneath.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lady Demeter,” Helios said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The goddess of the harvest turned away from the queen of witches, “Helios? What is it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I saw him, I saw who took your daughter.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. 2.4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The floor of Olympus shook beneath her feet.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I WANT HER BACK!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zeus finally rose from his throne, “She isn’t yours anymore!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She’s not your daughter alone for you to give her away like cattle! My daughter on the Underworld?! She doesn’t belong there!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It doesn’t matter,” the king of gods said, “The Underworld is not my realm, it’s not under my rule. Hades is king, his rules apply there."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If I don’t get Kore back, the earth will be barren forever! Let’s see just how well you all do without worshippers!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You would not--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Try me!”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. 2.5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“She’ll come for me,” Persephone kept her eyes focused on the ceiling.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Your mother?” he asked before he kissed her cheek and laid a hand over her stomach.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re my wife, there’s nothing she can do”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She’ll come up with something,” she glanced over to him, found his eyes closed, his face near hers, “she’ll probably call you the worst names, claim you raped me, tricked me or something of the kind.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hades shifted on the bed, moved closer to her, kissed the side of her naked breast, “She may call me whatever she wants, you’re still my queen, my wife, my love.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hades,” she made sure to have him look at her, “there’s no ruling in this world that will stop Demeter, I’m Kore to her. She might forever see you as a monster, you took everything she did everything to protect. I was meant to be a maiden, like Athena and Artemis. You stole her little girl. She won’t stop. We might be married, but I’m not bound to this place.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you saying?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Feed me, Hades.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“The law is clear,” he split the pomegranate in half, “whoever eats food from the Underworld is bound to it until their last breath.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Persephone sat up, the sheets fell, exposing her naked upper body. She took half the pomegranate.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He took one seed, offered it to her. The goddess sucked it from his fingers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>One, two, three, four, five, six.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Juice slipped down her chin, down her chest. Hades kissed her, kissed her chin, tasted the mix of pomegranates, and her, cleansing her flesh.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hades laid her back down on the bed after he was done, kissed her hard once again.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. 2.6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Charon stopped the boat, Demeter, Hecate, and Hermes disembarked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Triptolemus gave the goddess of the harvest a bow, “Lady Demeter.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where is she?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Dressed in a burgundy dress, wearing her silver crown and her emerald necklace, Persephone sat in her throne looking very much like the queen she was. Hades sat beside her, just as regal, the sight of him reminding very little of the loving husband he was, and much more of the ruler of the Underworld.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That was the sight that greeted Demeter and her companions when they entered the throne room.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Kore!” the goddess rushed towards her daughter, shades stopped her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let her pass,” Hades spoke, earning a glare from Demeter.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll deal with you later,” she declared, then turned to her child, “Look at you, you don’t even look like yourself, what has he done to you, my sweet Kore?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The queen stood, stepped forward, inspiring her husband to do the same, he took her hand, “Mother, I’m known here by my name, not by a pet name.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you talking about?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m Persephone, Queen of the Underworld,” she answered, “Wife of King Hades”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Whatever lies he fed you, you’re coming home with me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My wife will go only where she wishes to,” Hades intervened.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I wasn’t talking to you or asking for your opinion,” protested Demeter.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You will not speak to him like that!” Persephone’s voice rose, “He’s the king and you’ll treat him as such,” she stepped forward, “even more so, he’s my husband and I won’t allow you to treat him like that!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Child, don’t you see what he has done--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not a child! And you can’t take me back! I’m not your Kore anymore, mother, I’m queen, I’m his wife. I’m not your sweet maiden anymore!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Demeter froze, she glared at Hades, “You! I was hoping you’d play your games, bide your time, but you… You raped her! How could you--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Persephone stood between the two of them and hissed, “There was no rape, I invited my husband into my bed, that’s all it was.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The goddess of the harvest saw red, her hand rose and came down hard.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But was caught mid-air.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keep your hands from my wife!” the god hissed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Demeter snapped back, “If you won’t go back, the land will remain barren, humans will die. Make your choice. Your father isn’t happy about it, you thought he would be? You thought he could just give you to this one and that would be it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I ate from the Underworld.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hecate held Demeter’s arm, fearing she would faint.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There’s nothing to be done then,” Hermes said, “She’s bound to this place.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No!” screamed Demeter, “She’s my daughter, the land--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Unless…” continued the messenger god, “What have you eaten? How much?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Six pomegranate seeds,” Hades replied.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Thunder rumbled loud, Hermes nodded at his father’s manifestation, “Six months. For each. Persephone will stay with her mother for six months, the other six she’ll spend with king Hades.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No!” Demeter protested again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Another thunder.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This isn’t a negotiation,” Hermes translated, he glanced over to the queen, “Say your goodbyes, I’ll be here tomorrow, your majesty. For the sake of the humans.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Persephone pressed her lips together and held her husband’s hand, “I’ll be here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hermes nodded.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. 3.1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>He kissed the back of her shoulder, his fingers caressed her back. He laid his forehead against her as she sat on the bed as if she was watching the sun rise.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Six months. Six long months.” she said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll be waiting,” he said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Persephone gazed over her shoulder, found only his hair. “Do you love me?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is there a way not to?” he chuckled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Was it Aphrodite?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Perhaps,” he shrugged, “if I were to think about it, I probably would have made the same choice.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Taken me?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He shook his head, “Courted you. I was desperate. I saw you, I </span>
  <em>
    <span>needed</span>
  </em>
  <span> you. I knew it’d be only a matter of time before someone else tried to take you away.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Better to be you then.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A nod, “As selfish as it sounds. Do you regret it? Will you hate me for it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Perhaps one day,” she said, “It doesn’t feel good to be taken away, but… It’s what you did afterwards. I appreciate having a say on things, being heard”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hm,” he said, finally, dared to face her, “I do love you. You might not love me now or ever, but you can be sure that I do love you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The queen turned to him, touched his cheek, “I think I can do it, love you back.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hades smiled, “I’d be honored.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll miss you,” she confessed, “Six months is a lot of time to be seen as a child. To not walk beside an equal.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I hate that you have to go, but I like to know that you’ll miss me. Maybe you won’t grow bored of me then.” he gave her a soft glance.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She planted a peck on his lips. Her smile grew. “I might miss you more than I think I will.” she stood up. “Wait for me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“As long as you want.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Persephone made her way to the chest where her clothes were, as bare as the day she was born. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He watched, smiling. “Would you like some help?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“In or out of my clothes?” she smirked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Whichever you prefer.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She shot him a glance. “I’ll let you know if I do.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. 3.2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>He rose from his throne when she entered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her eyes were mossy green, her lips between coral and peach, her hair was dark brown. Just as he remembered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’ve come,” he walked to her, offered his hand.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nowhere else I’d rather be,” she beamed as he guided her into a silent waltz.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I love you,” he said, “again”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know,” she laid her forehead against his shoulder, “It’s okay. I like that you do, I like you. I missed you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I like that you did.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A smirk from both of them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Spend time with me,” she said, “I want to miss you more when I go, love you more when I come back.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why would you want that?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She faced him, “I like you, Hades, a whole lot. I could love you and I want you. Wouldn’t you want that if you were in my position?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can’t be certain, I don’t know what is it like to not love you, my queen.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her smile grew. “Oh, husband of mine, you’re doing this just fine in this husband business.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She laid her head back against him. And they danced.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
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